UN Report on Sex Scandal Out

The UN Report on sexual exploitation, pedophelia and rape is out, and it makes two significant recommendations: That an investigative wing be formed, and that courts martial be held in the country where offenses occur.

The report investigated incidents in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo in the early 1990s to Cambodia and Timor-Leste in the early and late 1990s to West Africa in 2002 and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2004. This kind of disgusting stuff:

... For example, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it would appear that sexual exploitation and abuse mostly involves the exchange of sex for money (on average $1-$3 per encounter), for food (for immediate consumption or to barter later) or for jobs (especially affecting daily workers). Some young girls whom I spoke with in the Democratic Republic of the Congo talked of “rape disguised as prostitution”, in which they said they were raped and given money or food afterwards to give the rape the appearance of a consensual transaction. Once young girls are in this situation, a situation of dependency is created which tends to result in a continued downward spiral of further prostitution, with its attendant violence, desperation, disease and further dependency. A consequence of sexual exploitation and abuse is the presence of abandoned “peacekeeper babies”, children fathered and abandoned by peacekeeping personnel.

The report's recommendations begin by saying rules, are required, not the current guidelines that cover unlawful sexual activitiesf:

In legal terms, “guidelines” can be contrasted to “rules”. Guidelines provide a general model that may or may not be followed depending on the circumstances; rules set out norms that must be followed. But codes of conduct, in particular detailed prohibitions against sexual exploitation and abuse, must have the status of binding rules. They cannot be merely guidelines.

The report recommends making sure the rules are printed on handy cards in the languages of the participating countries, and that they agree to make the rules binding. Oh, and this being the UN, that the participating companies agree to paying the cost of printing the cards.

The investigative teams recommended by the report would have access to forensic experts familiar with sexual abuse cases, and armed with appropriate investigative equipment. To save money (of course) the investigative teams will be based regionally, not with actual missions, which seems like it could present problems -- who's going to protect evidence while they get themselves into position?

Representatives of the charged Peacekeeper's country, preferably a military prosecutor, would participate in the investigation, which could help bridge the gap between UN investigators and home-country legal systems, should the in-country courts martial not be possible. If the case does go back to the perp's country:

A decision whether or not to prosecute is an act of sovereignty. However, these provisions will require a troop-contributing country to submit the case to the appropriate authorities, who must decide whether or not to prosecute in the same way as they would for an offence of a similar grave nature under their laws in their own jurisdiction. The suggested provisions would also obligate the troop-contributing country to report the outcome of the case in its jurisdiction.

As for taking care of victims, the UN acknowledges its responsibility, but, "A peacekeeping operation usually has neither the resources nor the mandate to provide comprehensive assistance to victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. However, there is much that can be done with a minimum of expenditure." That may be true, given the poverty that exists in many of the areas where Peacekeepers work, but it seems like a pretty lousy way to get something compassionate started.

The report suggests using DNA to track down dads of "peacekeeper babies," and using fines to fund a trust fund for those kids. The UN is putting all the accountability for these kids on the perps, a complete shirking their responsibilty. They design the mission, they approve it, they handle logistics, they are responsible, and yet they're not assuming it.

And their blame-shifting is maxed out, and their minimal compassion is mighty slim:

If paternity were established, the United Nations could, with a small change in its rules, deduct from the salary of that staff member, or from his final emoluments if he had been dismissed for violation of the standards set out in the 2003 bulletin, a specified amount, say the equivalent of one year’s salary of a local employee in the mission area. This would at least provide some child support to the mother. If the identity of the father is unknown, some assistance could be given from the trust fund for victims.

As the report settles in, it nauseates. This international organization, established with such vision, and speaking in such high and noble tones about the good that it does, about its exquisite compassion, all but discards the most damaged victims of its abuse on the trash heap.